Adapter for nuts, bolts, wrenches and the like



April 3, 1962 w. WAGNER 3,027,790

ADAPTER FOR NUTS, BOLTS, WRENCHES AND THE LIKE Filed April 6, 1959 F I6. I. 2T

INVENTOR WILLIAM WAGNER,

ATT R N EY United States Patent 3,027,790 ADAPTER FOR NUTS, BOLTS, WRENCHES AND THE LIKE William Wagner, Wagner Tool & Supply Corp., 1020 E. 15th St., Miami, Fla. Filed Apr. 6, 1959, Scr. No. 804,184 1 Claim. (Cl. 81121) This invention relates to an adapter for nuts, bolts, wrenches and the like.

It is known that bolt heads, nuts and the wrenches which actuate them, reference being here made to nonadjustable socket and open wrenches and others of like nature, are made to certain standards which may and do vary in different countries using different linear measuring systems. For example, there is the conventional American or English system, and there is also the French or continental metric system. And even when the same measuring system is used, dimensional standards may vary. Illustrative are the differences between English and American nut and bolt sizes. These differences relate both to the thread and to the wrench-engaging portions of the bolt head and nut. The present invention is not concerned with the thread.

It frequently happens that an automobile mechanic working on an imported automobile, say from Great Britain or from the Continent, France or Italy, for example, would attempt to use American size wrenches on the bolt heads and nuts encountered in the course of such work. This is not usually a matter of choice, but rather of necessity, since wrenches of appropriate size are not always available. This is true not only of automobile mechanics but also of all who from time to time have occasion to remove or replace or adjust nuts and bolts made to other than conventional dimensional standards.

It also is known that bolt heads and nuts and wrenches are frequently abused so that their respective actuating faces or surfaces are distorted. Where such bolts and nuts require removal, this condition may render the operation quite difficult. Nuts and bolts with distorted or mutilated actuating surfaces are frequently discarded, and consequently wasted, although their threaded portions may be fully operative. There is even greater waste when wrench sockets and open-ended wrenches are discarded by reason of deformed or mutilated actuating surfaces.

In addition to the foregoing, there is the problem that so frequently arises when just the right size of wrench happens not to be available. A wrench which is too small cannot of course be used, but one which is slightly too large may be used, and sometimes is used, in lieu of a wrench of proper size, with consequent injury or damage both to the wrench itself and to the bolt head or nut to which it is applied.

It is the object of this invention to provide a solution to the several problems above described, said solution being in the form of an adapter which may be applied either to the bolt head or nut or to the wrench itself.

The adapter is a shell which is made in various sizes and shapes, the term sizes as herein used being intended to encompass not only the internal and external dimensions of the adapter but also the thickness of its walls. By way of illustration, a typical adapter may conform in its inside dimensions to an American standard and in its outside dimensions to an English or metric standard. Thus, in such case, the adapter may be applied to an American standard nut and, depending upon its outer dimensions, an English or a metric system wrench would be applied to it to actuate said nut through said adapter. Conversely, an adapter having inside dimensions in accordance with the English standard and outside dimensions in accordance with the American standard govern its size and shape and also the thickness of its walls.

Thus far the adapter has been discussed in terms of applying it to a bolt head or nut. The same adapter may equally as readily be applied to the wrench itself. It is immaterial whether the adapter is used to adapt the bolt head or nut to the wrench, or the wrench to the bolt head or nut.

In one form of the invention the adapter is a complete shell, continuous in its peripheral dimension. In another form of the invention the shell may be split in the manner of a split ring, in order to provide it with an adequate measure of spring tension. Where the adapter is intended to be mounted on the bolt head or nut, the spring element would be biased inwardly. Where the adapter is intended to be inserted into a wrench, the spring element would be biased outwardly. In either case the adapter would support itself by spring tension upon the object on which or in which it is installed.

An important feature of this invention is the radially outwardly extending flange with which the adapter is provided. This flange plays no part in the adapting function above described, but what it does is to provide a supporting ledge on which the wrench may be rested in the course of a bolt or nut tightening or loosening operation. The top wall of the adapter serves as a limiting or stop member which prevents axial displacement of the adapter once it is properly situated. It does not, of course, prevent removal of the adapter following its use.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an adapter made in accordance with one form of the invention, showing said adapter mounted on a nut attached to a bolt.

FIG. 2 is a top view of said adapter looking in the direction of arrows 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of said adapter partly broken away and in section, showing a relatively contracted portion when said adapter is not mounted on a nut.

FIG. 4 is a top view partly broken away and in section of an adapter made in accordance with a second form of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, it will be observed that an adapter 10 made in accordance with one form of this invention is mounted on a nut 12 which itself is attached to a bolt 14. The adapter is simply a shell preferably stamped or formed to the outline shape of the nut, but it may be made by other methods, as by casting. The shell is generally hexagonal in shape, because it is intended to be mounted on a hexagonal nut. It will be noted that the head 16 of bolt 14 is also hexagonal in shape and consequently the same shape (not necessarily the same size) of shell will fit it.

A top flange 18 is provided on the side walls 20 of the shell, and it will be seen that this is a relatively narrow marginal flange which is adapted to rest upon a corresponding portion of the nut. This top flange 18 consequently serves as a stop member or limiting factor which prevents the shell from becoming dislodged in downward direction as viewed in FIG. 1.

A relatively narrow marginal bottom flange 22 is formed on the side walls 20 of said shell, and unlike top flange 18, which projects radially inwardly of said side walls, bottom flange 22 extends radially outwardly therefrom. Bottom flange 22 serves as a ledge or shelf upon which a wrench may be rested during a nut-actuating operation. Were it not for this bottom flange, the wrench could become dislodged from its operative position on the side walls of the shell in downward direction as viewed in FIG. 1.

Since shell is open at the top (toletthe bolt pass through) and open at the bottom (so that it may be placed on a nut or bolt head), it constitutes, in effect, a ring of hexagonal shape (or, of any other appropriate shape, say square to accommodate a square nut or'bolt head). In the present form of the invention, however,- a slit or split 24 is formed in one side wall of said hexagonal ring,- and it may therefore be denominated a split ring. The slit 24 extends not only through one of the side walls of the ring but it also extends throughthetwo-flanges 18 and 22.

As appears in FIG. 3, the splitshell or ring 10'is contracted somewhat as compared with its-condition in FIGS. 1 and 2. The reason is that it is provided with inherent spring tension biased inwardly. This enables it to tenshell-having side walls adapted to engage the sides of a nut or bolt head, and top and bottom flanges 32 and '34, respectively. I Said top flange 32-extends radially inwardly, while the bottom flange 34 extends radially outwardly. In allrespects, adapter 30 corresponds to adapter 10, except that-adapter 30 is not split. This of course would deprive-adapter 30 of the spring action exerted 'by adapter 10. However, such spring tension is not essential in the present case, since a fairly snug-fit may be provided between the adapter and the nut or bolt head which it is to engage. This would provide suflicient frictional contact between the adapter and the nut or bolt head to prevent accidental dislodgement of said adapter relative to said out or bolt head. Furthermore, adapter 30 provides an important advantage over split adapter 10, in that the formermay be mounted'interchangeably on anut or bolt head and in a wrench, whereas the latter, when biased,

may be mounted either on a nut or bolt head, on the one hand, or in a wrench, on the other hand, depending upon the direction of the bias.

The foregoing is illustrative of preferred forms of this invention, and it will be understood that these forms may be modified and other forms provided within the broad scope of the invention. For example, although the two flanges are important in preventing accidental dislodgement of the adapter relative to the nut or bolt head and of the wrench relative to the adapter, they have nothing whatsoever to do with the ultimate function of the adapter, which is to adapt a nut or bolt head of one size to a wrench of-another size or to adapt the latter to the-former. Consequently, aside from the matter of dislodgement, the adapter will function equally as well without either or both of-the two flanges.

I claim: 7

An adapter for nuts, bolt heads, socket wrenches and the like, comprising a polygonal shell shaped to correspond to the external shape of a polygonal nut or polygonal bolt'head and the internal shape of a polygonal wrench socket, said shell being of a thickness which would enlarge the nut or bolt head to a predetermined wrench size or which would reduce the wrench socket to a predeterminednut or bolt head size, an inwardly extending narrow flange formed at the upper peripheral edge of the shell for engagement with the top face of-the nut or bolt 'head on' which it is mounted to prevent the shell from References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS -Mikkelson June 17, 1879 Sayre Apr. 15, 1913 

